Engine compartment security has become a high priority for auto owners and auto insurance companies as well as auto manufacturers. Hood latch systems have typically been used without any locking mechanism that would prevent forced entry. A conventional hood latch apparatus uses a cable release system with a cable handle located in the driver compartment of the vehicle(see U.S. Pat. No. 2,832,621). Sometimes the cable handle includes a lock on the handle (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,289). However, security effectiveness of the cable release design is dependent upon the degree of shielding of the cable from theft, which has proven to be difficult and expensive.
Other approaches to engine compartment security have used locks installed directly on the hood latch in lieu of the cable; but such approaches have failed to provide a tamper-proof mechanism because elements of the lock or latch are accessible through openings in the vehicle grill or the lock itself can be destroyed (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,441,345 and 3,315,502). It has been found to be a relatively simple matter to either drive the lock tumbler through the lock housing or through the supporting sheet metal, or to use a slam puller tool to pull the lock mechanism or tumbler out of the lock housing or sheet metal support. With the lock mechanism or tumbler displaced, it leaves a hole in the closure panel; a long tool can be inserted through the hole to actuate the latch, which is no longer protected by the lock. Alternatively, a thief may force an opening in the adjacent sheet metal next to the lock and either wedge apart a coupling between the lock and latch or twist and bend away the bracket protecting the latch or lock to permit release of the latch. No matter which means of forced entry is used, an important criteria, as far as the would-be thief is concerned, is that it should take no longer than several minutes to accomplish the break-in, such as 2-3 minutes. The risk of being caught in the act obviously greatly increases with every moment spent in the break-in.